Time is a limiting factor in most people’s lives. There is always so much to do and not enough time to get it all done in. Given this reality, we are all looking for techniques to increase our effectiveness. Here are five tips to increase your own effectiveness right away:
- Stick to a regular sleep, meal, and exercise schedule – consistently give your body what it needs to perform at an elevated level.
- Prioritize your top 5 action items every day in rank order and always debrief your progress at the end of the day – make sure you are always focusing on the most important tasks at hand.
- Plan your work, work your plan – Once you prioritize your action items, don’t just start doing them, think through the best way to do them first.
- Figure out your most effective/productive time of the day (it varies by person) and if possible, schedule your most important work then.
- Focus on one thing at a time and rigorously avoid distractions – multi-tasking is a myth and only ever dilutes your effectiveness.
Most people live their lives reactively rather than proactively. Instead of controlling their time and schedule they let events control them. If you always choose to just make it up as you go along, don’t be surprised if you are often disappointed with the outcomes you are getting. Create some basic structure in your daily life. You will end up feeling liberated and able to do more of what you want to do because you will have more time to do it in.
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